This sign points the way to Castle Frankenstein (“burg” being German for castle)

Most people think the castle is fictional. It is not. It was constructed before 1250 by Lord Conrad of Breuberg who subsequently adopted the family name “von Frankenstein.” While nobody named Dr. Victor Frankenstein ever lived there, an alchemist by the name of Johann Dippel was born in the castle on August 10, 1673. Many records of Dippel survive from that time and at least one school he attended registered his name as Johann Dippel “Frankesteinensis” which is Latin for, you guessed it, von Frankenstein.

View of the tower of Castle Frankenstein

Glowering over the little town of Nieder-Beerbach, Germany, Castle Frankenstein looks well suited as the dwelling place of the fictional Dr. Victor Frankenstein, who featured in Mary Shelley’s 1818 horror novel, Frankenstein. The novel spawned a multitude of literature and movies and its monster has an almost archetypal presence in the consciousness of people. Shelley no doubt had heard of Castle Frankenstein and its legends during her travels in the area. The square tower which dominates the courtyard was constructed in the 1800’s but the chapel, well and fountain are much older and have legends of their own.

Getting back to Dippel, we find that he started his career as a respected theologian with a Masters Degree from the University of Giessen in 1693. He published under the pen name, Christianus Democritus. Later his interest changed to the practice of alchemy and his writings (eg. Maladies and Remedies of the Life of the Flesh) encompassed such topics as soul transference, exorcism and potions designed to imbue their user with immortality. He often experimented on dead animals, and some rumours said even on cadavers. He was best known for inventing Dippel’s Oil, which was brewed from rendered (animal?) bones and flesh.

Dippel’s Oil was proposed by its inventor to be the Elixir of Life. The tarry, unpleasant substance actually proved to have some uses, the last such being the fouling of wells so the enemy couldn’t use them during World War II. It technically wasn’t poisonous so it was not against the Geneva Convention.

By itself Dippel’s was no elixir…but a scientist named Johann Diesbach, perhaps in collaboration with Dippel, discovered that combined with certain red dyes the oil created a bright blue substance later dubbed Prussian Blue. Besides being a great dying agent it proved useful for microbiologists to stain tissue samples.

But most importantly, the new dye proved to be a true Elixir of Life for some people. Research showed Prussian Blue to be an invaluable tool in treating heavy metal poisoning, for example with substances such as lead and radioactive cesium.

Villager’s home below the castle, marked with an iron cross to ward off evil

Dippel, after a long and contentious career, was recorded as having died on April 25, 1734. Some say it was by poisoning though the official diagnosis was a stroke.

However, only a year previously he reported having discovered a tonic that would extend life by 135 years…which may explain the shadowy figure we noticed in the forest around the castle during our visit.

A Gallery Of Photos From Our Trip
Click images to enlarge and start a slideshow

Photo Credits

All photos by Stella van der Lugt

To this I say, “Bollocks!”

I have traveled to all seven continents and I can tell you that there is only one language I have universally heard spoken in every corner of the planet. That language is English. When checking into a hotel in Budapest, the Chinese gentleman in front of me was speaking English with the Hungarian receptionist. At international medical meetings throughout the world, the proceedings are held in English. At airports all over the planet, pilots speak to the tower in English. Was English this universally spoken during the reign of Elizabeth I?

The crown jewels of the United Kingdom

I am not an apologist for the colonial system, and certainly the process in the past has been at times brutal and unkind. However, most European powers shed their colonies amid bloodshed and war. I can’t help but hark back to the fact that India obtained its independence in 1947 through peaceful protest.

The British Empire is—in a conventional sense—gone. In a healthy family, the children grow up and eventually leave home and this is precisely what has happened. The United States of America was a child of the British Empire that rebelled and left home early, but there is no mistaking its roots when we see that the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia, and Maryland were all named for British monarchs. India rebelled a bit later, but its justice system, civil service, and indeed the language that allows the country to function (with fifty different spoken dialects!) is in English. Currently it has the world’s second largest population, with over a billion inhabitants, and will soon outstrip China to become the largest country in the world by population. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand left the empire in more measured and less rebellious manners, but nevertheless function as strong, democratic nations with English as official languages (and French as well in Canada to add some joie de vivre). Nigeria, Ghana, a multitude of countries overcome a communication barrier posed by multiple dialects by using English as a national means of communication. With virtually the oldest European democracy (with a hat tip to Iceland’s somewhat older Thingvellir) England is a model for the world’s democratic governments.

Thanks to England and its “children” those of us who would still be living are not saluting a jackbooted fascist dictator but are participating for the most part in thriving democracies modeled on the English parliament for the most part.

English language theatre, arts, and literature flourish around the world. It is true that Shakespeare graced the first Elizabethan age, yet there are far more English language luminaries extant now than in that era.

The British navy continues to be a power to be reckoned with and a stabilizing influence on the world scene.
Our Queen, Elizabeth II, has seen and accepted the governments of fourteen prime ministers! As Head of State she has been there for her country and Commonwealth and indeed she and her family have “saved the bacon” on more than a few occasions for England.

As England’s longest ruling monarch, Elizabeth II has not seen the decline of the British Empire, but rather the fruition of a somewhat turbulent but ultimately well-meaning nation’s efforts over more than a millennium. England and its monarch can sit back like proud parents and grandparents and proudly say, “Look what we have wrought.”

Your Majesty, I say “thank you” for all that you and England have done for the world. The Second Elizabethan Era is magnificent and I think we can all iterate this sentiment: a magnificent “job well done.”

Photo Credits

A letter from Buckingham Palace—George Burden—all rights reserved

Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom—Wikipedia Creative Commons

But they had not yet seen the Kokoda Track, had not faced waves of suicidal Japanese soldiers, had not been lost in the steaming jungles of New Guinea’s Owen Stanley Ranges… which the Commander in Chief of World War II’s Second Australian Imperial Force, General Sir Thomas Blamey, would later assert was a cowardly retreat.

Through defeat, desperation, humiliation, heroism, victory and vindication, the esprite de corps of the South Australian 2/27th Battalion endured.

The Lost Battalion is their story.

* * *

Autumn, 1974
A mate drops in

Ned saw the man as he walked through the farm’s front gate about 500 metres from the homestead at Peppertree Farm, his growing silhouette striding toward the house in the fading afternoon light.

He was carrying a battered brown suitcase wrapped in canvas, bound around with bagging twine. It was a big suitcase, but the man wasn’t lugging it. He was upright and square-shouldered, which seemed an odd thing to Ned. The suitcase was either almost empty, or the man was quite strong.

He wasn’t dressed like one of the kitchenware salesmen that occasionally dropped into the farm, despondently working their way back south from Whyalla to Adelaide.

The Beatles song, Let It Be, faintly echoed down the hall from the kitchen, where Mum was humming along to the tune as she peeled potatoes. Ned was about to call out to tell her there was a bloke coming down the track toward the house, but stopped as the front fly-screen door creaked open and he heard his father’s boots step onto the tiled verandah and up behind him.

Ned was eating an apple sitting at the top of the concrete steps which led down to the front garden and it’s rusty, wire-mesh gate. His Dad looked out over the garden, which beyond Mum’s defiant red roses was forever dying of thirst and said exactly what Ned knew he would say, what he always said.

“Who’s that?” said Cliff Coal.

Ned’s dog Blue, an eight-month-old, chocolate brown and white female border collie that he’d bought as a pup from Paskeville at last year’s Yorke Peninsula Field Days, twitched its ears at the question, her striking blue eyes locked on the approaching man. Bluey was really the farm sheep dog, but when she wasn’t being run off her feet and yelled at by his father, she was Ned’s shadow.

Ned was no fool. He was pretty cluey for a 12-year-old, but he wasn’t a jolly clairvoyant.

“Dunno,” he said, smiling to himself as he took another bite of the apple.

By the time the man was 30 metres from the garden gate, his father’s facial expression had changed from one of mild interest to dawning recognition.

He initially laughed and smiled broadly but that expression quickly faded to a look that Ned had never seen before on his cheerful father’s face. The smile had retracted to a hint of happiness, the kind of reflective smile that graced his mother’s face when she pointed out old pictures in the family photo album. And the laughter-lines around his father’s eyes, so much a feature of his work-weathered face, had softened with sadness.

“It’s Jack,” he said simply. Then again, more quietly to confirm it to himself: “It’s Jack”.

Photo Credit

Hiking sticks embedded in the ground on the Kokoda Track at Brigade Hill, one displaying a poppy, left to honour the soldiers of the South Australian 2/27th Battalion who gave their lives in battle in New Guinea during World War II.
Picture by Vincent Ross

Some of the larger clans have had a number of Ceann tighes or chieftains going back centuries; but others are more recent appointments. A Ceann tighe is appointed by a clan chief who is at the top of the hierarchy. Chiefs traditionally ruled the clans, originally much as a native American tribal chief would do, as the steward of the territory held by his people.

This changed to a more feudal type of system around the time of the Stuart monarchs of Scotland, and currently the designation of Scottish Chief is a title of nobility recognized by the Crown. The title was bestowed in the past on the eldest son, but more recently has been bestowed upon female offspring. For example, Arabella Kincaid, chief of Clan Kincaid. Scottish chiefs often but not always also hold the title of a Scottish feudal baron, a separate and distinct minor title of Scottish nobility, as well as other titles such as marquess, duke, earl, etc.

In the case of Clan Lamont, the clan to which the Burdens have been a major family (or “sept”) since 1400. Our chief is Father Peter Noel Lamont of that Ilk who resides in Rydalmere, Australia. This could have presented some geographical challenges in handling chiefly duties. However, Clan societies in Scotland, Canada, the United States, France, and Australia carry the torch for the clan.

Recently, to revitalize clan activities in the Americas, I have been working with Scott Turner, also with the executive of the Clan Lamont Association but based in the United States. The Turners are also a sept of Clan Lamont. Scottish descendants in North America number in the tens of millions and there are organized Highland games all through the Americas and even beyond, including South America, Australia, Africa, and even Malaysia!

Additionally, I recently accepted the position of Father Peter’s representative on the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, which involves a visit every summer to Edinburgh, and a meeting followed by luncheon at the Royal Scots Club.

In acknowledgement of the efforts made by Scott and I over past years, Chief Peter has appointed us respectively as High Commissioners for the United States and Canada as modern-day Ceann tighes.

General guidelines suggest that those of the status of chief wear three eagle feathers in their Scottish hat or “bonnet”, hence the old expression, “a feather in your cap.” Chieftains wear two feathers and those who have a grant of arms from Lord Lyon, the Crown Minister who controls such things in Scotland, are entitled to wear one eagle feather. While golden eagle feathers are traditional, my own two feathers come from a bald eagle. I should note that these feathers were legally obtained from the Nova Scotia Provincial Department of Wildlife, and no birds were deliberately harmed. My feathers were a gift from Chief Robert Gloade of the native Nova Scotian tribe, the Mik’maw. I believe that Scott Turner is still trying to acquire his eagle feathers due to US laws. With this in mind, I sent him a few Canada goose feathers that had been left on our cottage’s lawn by generous migrating geese.

Below is a list of the various families which belong to Clan Lamont. If interested in exploring your roots, please consider becoming a member of your local Clan society.

Clan Lamont Society of North America

Clan Lamont Society of Canada

Clan Lamont Society of Australia

Clan Lamont Society of Scotland

Clan Lamont (Wikipedia)

The next list is one of surnames associated with Clan Lamont. Note that many of these names are also associated with other clans.

Aldownie, (and Aldowny)
Bearden
Black
Blackie
Blaik
Blaikie
Blake
Blaker
Blakey
Broun
Brown
Bordon
Burden
Burdon
Burton
Clement(s)
Devers
Green(e)
Lamb
Lamant
Lambie
Lamm
Lammie
Lammon
Lammond
Lamon
Lamond
Lamondson
Lamons
Lamont
Lamonte
Lander(s)
Layman
Learmonth
Leeman
Leemon
Lemmon(s)
Lemon(s)
Lemond
Lemmond
Limon
Limond
Limont
Lhomond
Lomond
Lucas
Luck
Luckie, (and Lucky)
Luke
MacAldowie
MacAlduie
MacClammie, (and MacClammy)
MacClement(s)
MacCluckie, (and MacClucky)
MacClymont
MacEaracher
MacErcher
MacErracher
MacFarquhar
MacGilledow
MacGillegowie
MacGorie, (and MacGory)
MacGorrie
Mackquein (Aliased as Lamont)
MacIldowie
MacIlwham (and Wham)
MacIlwhom
MacInturner
MacKerchar
MacKerracher
MacLammie, (and MacLammy)
MacLamond
McLellan
MacLemmon
MacLemon
McClemont
McClymont
McCliment
MacLimans
MacLucas
MacLuckie, (and MacLucky)
MacLugash
MacLuke
MacLusa
MacLymont
MacMunn
MacPatrick
MacPhunn
MacSorley
MacSurely
McClymonds
McLimans
McLaomainn
Mecklem
Meickleam
Meickleham
Meikle
Meikleham, (and Meiklehem)
Meiklejohn
Meiklem, (and Maiklem)
Munn
Munt
Paters(s)on
Patrick
Phorich
Sitlington
Sorlie, (and Sorly)
Toward
Towart
Turner
White
Whyte
Young

Photo Credits

 First 3 photos courtesy of Stella Burden-van der Lugt—all rights reserved.
Scott Turner photo by Tammy Miller Turner—all rights reserved.

In the early days, bingo promoted unification within communities. Later, its benefits continued to be seen during the gloomy days of World War II, where it became a much-needed distraction for those on the home front. By the 1960s, due to the gambling act reform, bingo was in full swing in the UK, rapidly becoming one of the most favored ways to socialize. And because bingo had become more or less a pastime, it was considered to be more a type of lottery than a form of gambling.

Although traditional bingo halls are still alive and well, online bingo sites are increasing in popularity, offering a modern forum in which to play the game. Online players not only enjoy the same entertainment value and social benefits as traditional bingo, but can also stay connected on social media platforms. Another bonus? Online bingo is just a click away.

If you’ve been looking for an exciting, affordable pastime in which to make new friends and are curious about playing  bingo online, here are a few things to consider:

Affordability

Bingo is an affordable, low-cost option for those wanting the gambling thrill without the high stakes of blackjack or poker. With little to lose (yet still quite a bit to win!), the relatively low cost of a game of bingo appeals to a wide variety of people and attracts players of different ages and gender.

Options

While physical venues are still enjoyed by many, one of the draws of online bingo is choice. There are so many options to choose from, and most offer the added interest of chat rooms, forums and blogs. These are fantastic opportunities for players to interact, share some helpful tips and take advantage of special promotions and offers.

Health Benefits

Aside from fun and entertainment, bingo actually provides physical and psychological benefits as well. It helps to reinforce concentration and can stimulate short-term memory. And because of the fun-filled atmosphere, it provides an opportunity to laugh! Laughter relieves stress, and can even boost the immune system. It turns out, bingo is a wonderful addition to a healthy lifestyle, adding a sense of community and social belonging. Bingo brings people together!

While the game of bingo itself has seen its share of changes over the years, it’s maintained the core aspects players have grown to love: it’s fun, it’s social and it’s a game for all ages. Not to mention, there’s the lure of the win! The ‘human’ factor, though, is what adds real value to the game, and is perhaps one of the biggest reasons it has maintained its popularity over the years. With player interaction and guaranteed excitement, bingo is a fun and easy addition to a healthy lifestyle!

Photo Credit

Photo from Flickr – some rights reserved

Guest Author Bio
Patrycja Lewczuk

Patrycja has been involved with online bingo and casino for 3 years and is well-versed in the ins and outs of online gaming. She provides players with sound advice, allowing for a safe and enjoyable online gaming experience.

Islamic, Astrolabe of ‘Umar ibn Yusuf ibn ‘Umar ibn ‘Ali ibn Rasul al–Muzaffari,
1291, (acc. no. 91.1.535a–h)

The astrolabe also known as the “star-taker” is an ancient tool that was used to determine the position of the sun and the stars. The earliest forms of the astrolabe were originally invented during the Hellenistic era¹ in 150 BC in Greece and was eventually integrated into the Islamic world and gained credibility as an instrument of great importance. The astrolabe displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a relic from the 13th century also known as the Rasulid period² in Islamic history. ‘Umar ibn Yusuf ibn ‘Umar ibn ‘Ali ibn Rasul al-Muzaffari invented this modified version of the astrolabe and was later crowned the king of Yemen. The Astrolabe of Umar ibn Yusuf held a prominent role in the Medieval Islamic world³ through its cultural significance and development in astronomy, astrology and other forms of education. The astrolabe not only influenced the Islamic world but influenced the development of ideas in other parts of the world.

The astrolabe of Umar ibn Yusuf was originally procured in Yemen and is displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Edward Moore’s collection (Gallery 454) in New York. The astrolabe is classified as a metal object with a very traditional Islamic design in gold work and is dated A.H. 690/A.D. 1291. The astrolabe has a spherical shape and it is comprised of four spherical plates that assemble it. The diameter of the astrolabe is around 8 inches. The astrolabe is engraved, chased and pierced, made with brass and is inlaid with silver. The overall color of the astrolabe is golden. The inscriptions on the astrolabe are engraved in Arabic and were made and signed by Umar ibn Yusuf himself. The inscriptions are intricate and carefully engraved on the astrolabe along the sphere in a circular form. The inscriptions are single Arabic letters and numbers placed in a circular format that aligns with the center point of the object. Some inscriptions act as scales and help in time conversion, while the others act as calendars to show the day and time of month. The lines on the astrolabe are mostly diagonal and straight but there are some curved lines around the middle of this object. The lines that intersect the center of the astrolabe to the edge were meant to display the cities that helped determine the direction of Makkah⁴ and also helped determine certain observations. The use of this Islamic astrolabe was chiefly helping in the navigation of finding the direction of Makkah and determining the correct prayer times for Muslims. It was also used to determine the sunset and sunrise of a day, the positioning of the stars, and the navigation of astronomical forms.

This astrolabe unlike many others is well documented and we can see clear inscriptions that directly attribute it to Umar Ibn Yusuf’s work. He was known for inventing and preserving such artifacts and left scientific treatises on the construction of the astrolabe. Another Astrolabe by Umar Ibn Yusuf is preserved and displayed in Cairo and shares similar details and inscriptions that certify him as the maker. Another Astrolabe by Muhammad Zman al-Munajjim al-Asurlabi sits near the Astrolabe of Umar Ibn Yusuf in the Gallery at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. They share similar details with one another like shape, size, and material. Muhammed Zman’s Astrolabe is image based and portrays more details of the planets and other astronomical forms unlike the Astrolabe by Umar Ibn Yusuf that is kept more simple and is inscription based. This information and detail can tell the audience that the Astrolabe of Umar Ibn Yusuf mainly aided navigational purposes of finding the position of Makkah than the placement of planets.

The astrolabe is contracted with four main parts that enable it to work. First the disk that is also referred to as the “mater”. The mater is marked specifically indication hours and degrees. The mater can hold up to several “tympans” that are also known as plates. The “rete” that represents the sky and acts as a star chart shows the stars and the zodiac constellations. The alidade or the rule was used for making observations by enabling accurate sights. The rete and tympana are designed in a way that they fit into the mater. There are many steps in making observations. To use an astrolabe you adjust the movable components to a particular time and date, for example; you must hold it up and angle it precisely to when the rule crosses the degree scale when observing the stars.

The main audience for the astrolabe was the Muslim community. At first the Islamic world was unsure of the credibility of such technologies until many rulers started supporting scientific research and started recognizing its benefits. This instrument played a vital role in the lives of the Muslims as it determined the accurate direction of the Qibla⁵, so they could pray five times a day. It was very important for Muslims to posses this object as they lived very nomadic lives and needed to locate the exact direction of the Qibla in Makkah. Over the course of time the astrolabe was highly developed and improved in the Islamic world and held a valuable role in the Islamic Golden Age. The Muslims were the ones that introduced the angular scales to the astrolabe. The person who was credited for developing the first Islamic Astrolabe was an 8th century mathematician known as Muhammad Al-Fazari. The first geared mechanical astrolabe was made in Isfahan by Abi Bakr in 1235. The first universal astrolabe that could be used at any latitude was invented by the Islamic scholar Abu Ishaq Ibrahim al-Zarqali. Later Islamic scholar and scientist, al-Sufi stated 10,000 ways of using the astrolabe from astronomy and horoscopes to time management and prayer.

The astrolabe was introduced to Europe through Islamic Spain in the 13th century and helped shape European production. In the middle ages both Muslims and Christians benefited from the astrolabe as it helped them navigate sea routes. The astrolabe became a dominant astronomical and navigational instrument in history and was used by astronomers, navigators, and astrologers. The first known European Astrolabe was made and developed in the 15th century by the Moorish inventor Rabbi Abraham Zacuto in Lisbon. Soon more identical Astrolabes were developed and made in further years and as centuries past. In 15th century France the French inventor and instrument maker, influenced by the astrolabe started developing them and selling astrolabes along with sundials and other influenced objects. Astrolabes influenced the first astronomical mechanical clocks such as the “Clock at Prague”⁶. Later many Swiss watch makers also adopted ideas from the astrolabe and used them in their watch making and a Dutch watchmaker, Christaan van der Klauuw still manufactures astrolabe based watches to this day.

Various phenomenons were derived and developed from the invention of the astrolabe. It is still highly valued and recognized today for its sophisticated beauty, distinct capabilities and influence over teachings of astronomy as a whole. It is also highly appreciated for its cultural significance and strongly influenced and helped develop many ideas in the modern world. The astrolabe can almost act as a “smart phone” of the 13th century as it was pocket sized and used for multiple reasons from predicting the positions of the stars and the sun, casting horoscopes, revealing given times, among various other observations. Astrolabes personify beauty as much as they contribute to their function as their appearance is ideal in helping us determine how they were used and identify the artist. Today the Astrolabe can be viewed as a symbol of scientific greatness from the Islamic world.

1 - Hellenistic Era: Period in Ancient Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 325 BC and emerging of the Roman Empire. It is also called a the period of transition.
2 – Rasulid Period: This was a dynasty of Sunni Muslims that ruled Yemen from 1229 to 1454.
3 – Medieval Islamic World/ Islamic Golden Age: This was when the Muslim world was united caliphs and was prospering scientifically and culturally.
4 – Makkah: Holy city for Muslims in Islam – Every year Muslims perform a pilgrimage to this city.
5 – Qibla: Is a word that Muslims use to describe the holy Kabbah (Holiest Islamic monument in Makkah) and the direction Muslims face while praying.
6 – Clock in Prague, Czech Republic that was influenced by the astrolabe.

Works Cited

• Cessna, Abby. “Astrolabe.” Universe Today. N.p., 27 Sept. 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2014.
• Ekhtiar, Maryam. Masterpieces from the Department of Islamic Art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2011. Print.
• “Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History.” Astronomy and Astrology in the Medieval Islamic World. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2014.
• Morgan, David O., and A.J.S Reid. The New Cambridge History of Islam. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2010. Print.
• Morrison, James E. “The ASTROLABE.” Astrolabe History. N.p., 2010. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.
  
• Sedif. “Sedef’s Corner.” : Patronage and Secular Subject Matter in Islamic Art. N.p., 13 Nov. 2011. Web. 09 Nov. 2014.
• Winterburn, Emily. “Using an Astrolabe.” Muslim Heritage. N.p., 2005. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.

Photo Credits

Astrolabe of ‘Umar ibn Yusuf – The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Featured image is Wikipedia creative commons

Guest Artist Bio
Iman Mazhar

Iman Mazhar is a studio artist and fine art enthusiast based in New York. Iman graduated from Parsons the New School for Design, where she successfully completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honors. Iman’s core focus is in visual design, gallery management, and museum development.

As an avid art enthusiast, Iman has pursued the arts both academically and professionally. She has worked on various curatorial projects and has been involved with many prestigious art organizations such as, AICON Gallery, Swiss Institute, Milk Gallery, The What’s Up Exhibition Series (LVH Art), and Louise Stefanii Fine Art. Iman is currently intimately involved with the development of the first Islamic Art Museum of New York, designed by Pritzker prize winner, Jean Nouvel. She is involved with all aspects of the Museum due to her background and knowledge surrounding Islamic Art and Culture.

As a practicing studio artist, Iman’s work explores themes such as orientalism, identity, politics and current affairs. Her work aims to create awareness and hopes to build bridges between communities. She takes inspiration from her background, personal experiences, and philosophic texts.

Visit Iman’s website: Iman Mazhar

They were young and fit. They had seen war and knew how to handle it.

But they had not yet seen the Kokoda Track, had not faced waves of suicidal Japanese soldiers, had not been lost in the steaming jungles of New Guinea’s Owen Stanley Ranges… which the Commander in Chief of World War II’s Second Australian Imperial Force, General Sir Thomas Blamey, would later assert was a cowardly retreat.

Isolated in the jungle, far from life-saving medical support, mortally wounded soldiers cried out to their mates to put them out of their misery with a bullet, rather than be left suffering, spending their last moments on earth alone, waiting to be run through with a bayonet by an advancing Japanese soldier.

One profoundly courageous man did help end that suffering. It would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Through defeat, desperation, humiliation, heroism, victory and vindication, the esprite de corps of the South Australian 2/27th Battalion endured.

www.thelostbattalion.net is their story.

Back in the Middle Ages, pantries were the norm in almost every household. Typically separate rooms off the kitchen, simple wooden-plank shelving was used to store everything from bread and cleaning supplies to freshly caught hare or game. At the very least, planks of wood could be seen by the hearth, hung by rope from the ceiling or attached to walls, where pots, food and daily-use utensils were kept. By the 16th century, chimneys added kitchen functionality. Eliminating smoke in the home meant larger cooking fires could now be built in the hearth.

A 16th century tudor manor kitchen

By the early 20th century, a more creative and organized approach to cabinetry was taking shape. Multi-purpose shelving units, like the highly-innovative Hoosier cabinet, were becoming increasingly popular between 1900-1930, providing much-needed storage and extra workspace. This was a huge step forward for homemakers, who could now have everything they needed at their fingertips. However, with continuing advancements in kitchen design, not to mention the effect The Great Depression had on sales, stand-alone cabinets were falling by the wayside by 1935 in favor of a more built-in look.

A Hoosier cabinet

Kitchens remained largely open and utilitarian over the next several years, with a worktable, sink and stove as the focal point. Gradually, workspaces began to transform in to what was referred to as the ‘fitted kitchen’, where appliances were more integrated with cabinetry, creating improved workflow. Worktables, stoves and sinks, however, were still free-standing, and it wouldn’t be until post-World War II that the built-in look we’re familiar with today would emerge. By this time, manufacturing advancements and innovations in kitchen technology were booming. Homeowners were falling in love with their kitchens.

With a renewed interest in home cooking and entertaining, kitchen design over the next four decades would see rapid change. Large, open spaces were trending by the 1980s and ’90s, but now with designer appliances and cookware on display. Choices were endless, and kitchens were truly reflecting the homeowner’s individuality.

Modern kitchen fit for entertaining

Kitchens have come a long way since the days of open hearths, wood-plank shelves, free-standing worktables, wall-mounted sinks and stoves on tall, slender legs. Today, with demand for quality and functionality on the rise, homeowners are using a critical eye when considering the options for their kitchens; particularly, their kitchen cabinets. Whether minimalist in design or an enviable array that would impress any professional chef, kitchen cabinets continue to play an important role in the modern-day kitchen.

Throughout history, kitchen cabinets, and kitchens in general, have steadily evolved with homeowners’ ever-changing needs. But one thing’s for certain: No matter what the future advancements in kitchen design, the kitchen will remain the heart of the home where families continue to gather.

Photo Credits

Image of 16th century tudor manor kitchen from Home Things Past
Image of Hoosier cabinet from Old Photo Archive
Image of modern kitchen  from Flickr – some rights reserved

Guest Author Bio
Laura Stevenson

Laura Stevenson is a seasoned freelance writer with notable writing projects under her belt. She’s a wordsmith to just about anything related to interior and design, lifestyle and travel.  When Laura is not busy making ends meet, she binge-watch her favorite TV series on Netflix.

However, it wasn’t until the 20th century that the sport became America’s “national pastime”. During this period it was common to see Americans regularly pack stadiums and crowd around radios to listen to their favorite teams play.

Names like Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson and Mickey Mantle (to name just a few) emerged as Baseball superstars, and in doing so, they became everyday heroes to many Americans.

An exhibit on the great Jackie Robinson, the man who broke Baseball’s “color barrier”

In short, Baseball became embedded into the popular culture and the very fabric of American society in the 20th century, creating an intense passion for the game among many in the US.

Some would argue that other sports – namely, Football and Basketball – have since overtaken Baseball’s position as the king of American sports. Regardless of your perspective on this argument, it can’t be denied that Baseball has a strong ethos, a powerful magnetism, and a sort of joyful innocence to the game that deeply appeals to many.      

I count myself as one of those Americans who is mesmerized by the beauty and history of the game. And no other physical location in the world embodies the wonder of the game quite like the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum located in Cooperstown, New York.

I visited the Hall of Fame a few months ago. If you’ve never been there, then you simply need to know this: Cooperstown is a Baseball dreamland. In addition to the iconic Hall of Fame, there are countless shops and sites scattered across the small New York village which are all dedicated to Baseball.

The author in front of the Baseball Hall of Fame

While in Cooperstown, my sense of boyhood wonder about the game I grew up playing and watching was renewed. There were exhibits containing legendary artifacts from the game’s past which I had only ever seen on TV or in photos. It was amazing to see these things up close and personal. 

One of the highlights was visiting the awe inspiring plaque gallery, where every Hall of Famer has a bronze plaque bearing their image and a summary of their accomplishments. I literally spent hours here. It was fantastic.

I also enjoyed the exhibit on movies about Baseball, where you can really take stock of the game’s imprint on American popular culture. There were momentos and features from some of my favorites, like Field of Dreams, Sandlot, and Bull Durham. And there were other Baseball movies that I had never even seen or heard of before!

Right outside of the museum and around the corner is an old Baseball stadium, named Doubleday Field, where games are still actively played. Legend has it that the game of Baseball was actually invented on this very field (which at the time was a cow pasture) by Abner Doubleday. Regardless of the veracity of the story, Doubleday Field’s very presence adds to Baseball’s lore and serves as a mecca to many a ballplayer. 

In short, I think that every Baseball fan should visit Cooperstown at least once in their lifetime. However, the bigger point to my post is this: there is a sort of magic about the game of Baseball that is incredibly enticing. This magic is a big part of what made the game a fixture of American society over the last century, and it’s what makes Cooperstown so enchanting even today.

The game of Baseball was – and still is – America’s national pastime, even while other sports increase in general popularity. As time goes on, it is my sincere hope that an increasing number of the younger generation will learn to see Baseball’s magic and develop a love for the game, for the game will not disappoint.  

Photo Credits

Photos courtesy of Scott Perry

Guest Author Bio
Scott Perry

Scott Perry is a Project Manager, a writer, and a Baseball enthusiast living in North Carolina. He writes at catchershome.com, a site dedicated to Baseball and Softball catchers.

This is all well-documented in sagas and archaeological findings. The modern western cultural clichés on Vikings began to emerge around the 18th century. Today, they’re very rarely depicted accurately in pop-culture (the horned helmets are mostly a myth as well).  The Vikings as we perceive them today are sort of a parody of themselves. They’re seen as more or less one-dimensional savages who lived to pillage and conquer. Just entire countries dedicated to that singular purpose.

This, naturally, isn’t true. They didn’t dream of plundering England or France day in and day out. These countries had complex, multi-dimensional societies rich with literature, arts and of course – sports and games of all sorts.

Viking sports and games of the olden days

Some of the games were physical, violence-ridden contests in power, speed, and determination. They taught teamwork and cooperation. They also helped the ancient Scandinavians maintain and hone their fighting skills outside of combat and war situations.

Other games were more mellow and cerebral. Physical challenges weren’t the only thing that the Vikings enjoyed for some entertainment of a competitive nature. Gambling has deep roots in Scandinavian culture and innovative companies like Yggdrasil Gaming Casinos are trying to maintain this tradition in a modernized way. Archaeological evidence uncovered points to the fact that these societies loved to play games with dice, board games and a number of other gambling activities. Great pastimes when the snow was covering their playing fields during cold winters.

The Vikings valued both physical and cerebral pastimes. Sometimes, they valued the cerebral games even more. For example, board game skills, in particular, were apparently highly regarded. Morkinskinna, chapter 71, depicts Kings Eysteinn and Sigurðr comparing their talents and strengths in a lighthearted manner. To Sigurðr’s boasting that he was a stronger fighter and a faster swimmer, Eysteinn replies: “That is true, but I am more skilled and better at board games, and that is worth as much as your strength.”

Sporting games

The recovered literature from those time periods often mentions leikar or sports games. Those included ball games, not unlike football or rugby. They also included power contests, wrestling, swimming challenges, and many others. These events were important social gathering occasions in these societies. They sometimes lasted for days on end. Whenever the community gathered for feasts, political assemblies or religious events, games were almost always present. Leikmót or games gatherings were also often held as separate events.

As we might expect, those games weren’t quite as regulated, civilized and cordial as the ones we have today. Those were rough times for humans and their games reflected that. Without modern medicine, life-shattering injuries and death were part of life and that translated to sports. Since the games were voluntary and you could withdraw whenever you wanted, the responsibility for your well being and health was thus placed entirely on your own shoulders.

Swimming and wrestling

The swimming contests held among Vikings would be better described as drowning contests. The key in one of these games was outlasting your opponent underwater. You won if you held your opponent submerged for longer.

Wrestling competitions, or as they called it – glíma, were displays of strength and dexterity. It was an extremely popular sport in the age of Vikings. Glíma is practiced in modern-day Iceland as well. The sport is most definitely either inspired or directly derived from the Viking wrestling practices. Unlike in some of the modern wrestling and grappling styles, there was little to no fighting on the ground. Your aim was to lift your opponent and drop him or otherwise throw him off balance so he would tumble to the ground.

The wrestling matches were held both indoors and outdoors. In chapter one of Gunnar’s saga, Gunnar lifts the person he’s fighting up and smashes him with all his might onto a bench inside the house, thus shattering his spine. As evidenced by this example, wrestling contests were also sometimes used as a device to settle feuds in a controlled environment. These clashes could have been fought to any goal. Sometimes the goal was death.

The bench that Gunnar used in the story was a substitution for fanghella, which was a large stone on the wrestling field. The stone’s purpose was to crush your opponent’s body onto it, smashing his back or head on its surface. Try to find that in a modern wrestling match.

Weight lifting and strength competitions

You probably know Iceland’s Hafthor Bjornsson as the man who lifts huge stones in strongman competitions or portrays The Mountain in HBO’s Game of Thrones. What you may not know is that the sort of competitions he participates in have been around in his country of origin for many centuries.

Weight lifting contests using stones and logs were very common in the Viking era. In them, the person who managed to pick up the heaviest and biggest boulder was declared the winner. Nordic sagas celebrate such heroes. Grettir Asmundarson was one of such characters. Some of the boulders he managed to lift are still on display in Iceland to this day.

Indoor games and gambling

Let’s move on from the games that only the strongest and fiercest members of these communities could hope to win. Dice carved from bones were apparently incredibly popular during the Viking age. Burial sites uncovered all across Nordic countries and the British isles prominently feature these instruments. Dice-based games were widely used to pass time or win wagers among these people.

Another indoor game played by Vikings was called tafl. It was a tactics-based board game not unlike chess. Some historians hold the opinion that a popular bronze figure that was unearthed in north Iceland was actually a piece in a board game and not an idol as initially presumed. The statuette depicts a man sitting down, holding his beard.

Tafl presents one of the sides with uneven odds, encompassing him and allowing him fewer figurines. We’re unsure of the exact rules of the game but seemingly, the player on one side had to defend a king with his consort from a surrounding army. Almost all of these games were played with an audience around. Betting was likely encouraged from onlookers as well as the players themselves. There was also likely quite an amount of insults, jokes, and banter being traded.

Drinking games

Some other games were based on drinking. Excessive alcohol consumption seems to have been a normal thing at feasts or other festive occasions. Men of high social status usually had women assigned as their drinking companions for the night. Other men were expected to pair up independently.

One of the drinking games would have a pair of men match drinks and engage in verbal sparring. The participants would down a drink and then recite an impromptu poetry verse. Imagine a rap battle but with drunk Vikings. You would inflate your achievements and courage in your verses while degrading and taunting your opponent. As you got drunker and drunker, the verses became more ridiculous and intense. Whoever outlasted the other or managed to show more skill with his poetry throughout would win.

Summary

Viking gambling practices weren’t reserved for any particular layer of society. Gambling happened everywhere and in all echelons. The sagas are full of stories of kings and other nobility engaging in this form of entertainment one way or another. Even to the point, where territorial disputes have been settled via gambling. The Vikings possessed an extensive cultural background of gambling and gaming. This is reflected even in the stories about their Gods. Hopefully, this article sheds a different light on these fascinating, even if sometimes brutal people.

Let’s finish this off with a little legend. One of the stories recounts a mid-war parlay between the kings of Norway and Sweden in the 11th century. The parlay managed to establish peace, except one issue – the ownership of the Hisingel island remained a contested point. The kings agreed to roll dice to settle the dispute. The king of Sweden rolled two sixes and assumed the matter settled. However, the king of Norway rolled his dice anyway, rolling one six while the second die cracked in two, showing a 3 and 4 simultaneously. 13 points beat Sweden’s 12 and Norway took the island.

Photo Credits

Viking Ship – pixabay creative commons

Glima – Wikimedia creative commons

Tafl – Wikimedia creative commons

Viking – pixabay creative commons

Guest Author Bio
Mike Daniels

Mike Daniels is a historian with over a decade of experience. He specializes in the histories of Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Baltics region. Mike keeps himself up to date with the most recent updates that are coming from those parts of the world. In his spare time, he loves to travel with his dog named Daisy.